Left Nelson to head for Franz Josef with an overnight stop in Greymouth. We went on a brewery tour then to a local bar which involved much drinking and much fun but we didn't get back to the hostel until 5am after getting lost (how do you get lost in Greymouth I don't know but we did)
Set of to Franz Josef and with only 40 mins of driving left the bus broke down. We spent a couple of hours on the roadside waiting for a replacement bus to arrive, but the weather was hot and sunny and the company was good. Arrived at Franz Josef and within 30mins I was in a helicopter being taken up onto the glacier for a 2 hour hike. This has got to be one of the highlights of my trip so far. The combination of the glacier, the views, the helicopter flight and the company made it a very special day. The next day I tried indoor ice climbing which was another great experience. Some of my friends have been skydiving, Franz Josef is a perfect place to do this because of the scenery, as long as the weather is good - and we had perfect weather.
The YHA hostel is very comfy with a large open fire and comfy sofas. Add good friends to this mix and a goodtime was had by all.
